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Inspection on 17/07/09 for Hill Farm

Also see our care home review for Hill Farm for more information

This inspection was carried out on 17th July 2009.

It is an annual review prepared by CQC after examining previous reports and information from the provider. At the time of this report, CQC judged the service to be Excellent.

The inspector made no statutory requirements on the home as a result of this inspection and there were no outstanding actions from the previous inspection report.

What follows are excerpts from this inspection report. For more information read the full report on the next tab.

Annual service review Name of Service: Hill Farm The quality rating for this care home is: The rating was made on: three star excellent service A quality rating is our assessment of how well a care home, agency or scheme is meeting the needs of the people who use it. We give a quality rating following a full review of the service. We call this review a ‘key’ inspection We do an annual service review when there has been no key inspection of the service in the last 12 months. It does not involve a visit to the service but is a summary of new information given to us, or collected by us, since the last key inspection or annual service review.   Has this annual service review changed our opinion of the service?   No You should read the last key inspection report for this service to get a full picture of how well outcomes for the people using the service are being met. The date by which we will do a key inspection: Name of inspector: Elizabeth Baker Date of this annual service review: 2 0 0 7 2 0 0 9 Annual Service Review Page 1 of 6 Information about the service Address of service: 15 Keycol Hill Sittingbourne Kent ME9 8LZ 01795841220 Telephone number: Fax number: Email address: Provider web address:   Name of registered provider(s): Conditions of registration: Category(ies) : learning disability Conditions of registration: Forward Care (Residential) Ltd Number of places (if applicable): Under 65 Over 65 9 0 The maximum number of service users to be accommodated is 9. The registered person may provide the following category/ies of service only: Care home only - (PC) to service users of the following gender: Either Whose primary care needs on admission to the home are within the following categories: Learning disability (LD). Have there been any changes in the ownership, management or the No service’s registration details in the last 12 months? If yes, what have they been: Date of last key inspection: Date of last annual service review (if applicable): Brief description of the service The home offers services for people with learning disabilities who have challenging behaviours and or high dependency needs. The home is a detached property with accommodation on two floors. There are nine single bedrooms, some of which are located on the ground floor. All bedrooms have call bell and television points. A passenger lift accesses the first floor. There is a small garden to the rear of the home and limited car parking to the side. The home is within easy access to the M2 motorway and about two miles from Sittingbourne town centre. Details of current fees are available from the home manager and depend on the individual assessed need. Annual Service Review Page 2 of 6 Additional costs are chargeable for horse riding, external sensory sessions and one to one trips out. Current internal activities and entertainment include listening to music, watching TV films, aromatherapy, beauty therapy, exercise programmes, movement to music and art and crafts. External trips include a weeks annual holiday, swimming, horse riding, shopping trips, church services and day trips to places such as theme parks and seaside resorts. A copy of the latest inspection report is available on request at the home. Annual Service Review Page 3 of 6 Service update since the last key inspection or annual service review: What did we do for this annual service review? We looked at all the information that we have received, or asked for since the last key inspection or annual service review. This included: The annual quality assurance assessment (AQAA) that was sent to us by the service. The AQAA is a self-assessment that focuses on how well outcomes are being met for people using the service. It also gave us some numerical information about the service. Information we have about how the service has managed any complaints. What the service has told us about things that have happened in the service, these are called notifications and are a legal requirement. The previous key inspection and results of other visits we have made to the service in the last 12 months. Relevant information from other organisations. What other people have told us about the service. What has this told us about the service? As required, the service returned the annual quality assurance assessment (AQAA) when we asked for it. The assessment gave us some of the information we asked for. We looked at the information in the AQAA and considered the further information we obtained from the home manager during a subsequent telephone call. Our judgement is that the service is still providing an excellent service and is aware of further improvements they need to make. The last site visit to the home was carried out on 23 July 2008. The current rating was determined at that visit. We will do a key inspection by the 22 July 2011. The AQAA identified changes, which had been made as a result of listening to people who use the service including increasing the amount of recreational therapeutic occupational support for all service users. The AQAA indicated a range of areas where improvements have been made in the last year. This includes working more closely with the district nurse team and other health and social care professionals so service users receive better after care following hospital admissions, particularly for service users with severe communication problems. Accessing more external activities for service users including more theatre trips now that the home is involved with the local Skills Net Advocacy group. Promoting service users to be as independent as possible so that they may be able to go out into the community without a formal escort. All areas of the home have been redecorated Annual Service Review Page 4 of 6 making the place a better environment for service users to live in. Accessing more training including Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards, Mental Capacity Act, managing challenging behaviours, medication and healthcare procedures, person centred planning and health and safety. Contracting with a qualified occupational therapist to provide meaningful activities for service users. The provision is for six hours per week over a three day period. The home continues to work with the countys local safeguarding team on making and sustaining improvements following three safeguarding investigations carried out since the last site visit. There is also evidence from the AQAA that the service is continuing to look at ways of improving what they do to promote good outcomes for those receiving the service. The home manager intends to make application to us to become the registered manager. She anticipates completing the Learning and Leadership course within the next six months. Expanding communal space for service users by installing a conservatory. Changing and extending the parking facilities, making it easier for visitors to park. Extending the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguarding training to all staff so they have a clear understanding of the implications of the safeguards on current and future service users. The home manager will continue to work with staff on issues highlighted in the safeguarding investigations. The home continues to let us know about things that have happened since our last key inspection that may have affected residents wellbeing. The AQAA records the home has received three complaints during the last 12 months which were resolved within 28 days. The complaints were not upheld. Three safeguarding adult investigations have been investigated under the countys multi agency procedures. There have been no authorisation referrals made under the Deprivation of Liberties safeguards. We have not received any formal complaints about the service. What are we going to do as a result of this annual service review? At this moment in time we are not going to change our inspection plan, and will do a key inspection by 22 July 2011. However we can inspect the service at any time if we have concerns about the quality of the service or the safety of the people using the service. Annual Service Review Page 5 of 6 Reader Information Document Purpose: Author: Audience: Further copies from: Annual service review CQC General Public 0870 240 7535 (national contact centre) Our duty to regulate social care services is set out in the Care Standards Act 2000. The content of which can be found on our website. Helpline: Telephone: 03000 616161 Email: enquiries@cqc.org.uk Web: www.cqc.org.uk We want people to be able to access this information. 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